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Amnesty International Releases Names Of Four West Papuans Charged With Treason

Submitted by PIR Editor on Sun, 02/12/2017 - 13:41

Amnesty: men remain in detention for exercising their right to peaceful assembly and should be considered prisoners of conscience

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, February 13, 2017) – The names of four political activists charged by Indonesia with treason in West Papua have been released by the human rights advocacy group Amnesty International.

Hiskia Meage, Emanuel Ukago, Panus Hesegem and William Wim are members of the pro-Papuan independence organization, the West Papuan National Committee and were among 70 people who were arrested while demonstrating in North Sulawesi Province in December.

The rally was part of 14 simultaneous demonstrations across Indonesia in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua becoming a full member of Melanesian Spearhead Group.

Amnesty said 528 people were arrested nation-wide on 19 December but most were released without charge the following day.

Committee members Hosea Yemo and Ismael Alua were also charged with treason for organising the rallies.

Amnesty said the men remained in detention for exercising their right to peaceful assembly and should be considered prisoners of conscience.

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